When are chicks ready to be brought outside

[smallchickfarm]

How old do chicks need to be to be brought outside ?
My chicks are over four weeks old and I dont think they are ready yet but they keep jumping out of the brooder and getting their water and food full of pine shavings. What should I do?

 

[goodb]

I'm not an expert but I think they should go to a larger cage inside your garage perhaps.

 

[chickincrazy]

Put the water on a two inch block so the cant scratch stuff in it. I've heard u can put them out at a month and a half - when they are fully feathered.

 

[Oceanic109]

When your chicks have adolescent feathers, which they develop around 8 weeks old they can go outside and even stay in a outside coop overnight, if you don't have freezing temperatures of course. But if you don't want them staying with your other chickens just get a larger brooder so they have other places to be then near their water and food.

 

[tmayk]

Maybe I'm crazy, but I put my chicks out about a week old. They stay in a small inclosure with their light, food and water. It's sunny and nice outside. The chicks flap around and scratch. They never huddle under the light or anything like they are cold. It's warmer out there then in thw garage would be...
They won't stay without a light until they are fully feathered (8ish weeks) though.

 

[MIster Ducker]

Maybe I'm crazy, but I put my chicks out about a week old. They stay in a small inclosure with their light, food and water. It's sunny and nice outside. The chicks flap around and scratch. They never huddle under the light or anything like they are cold. It's warmer out there then in thw garage would be...
They won't stay without a light until they are fully feathered (8ish weeks) though.

Me too... about a week old and they eat whatever they want or out of the dish. They sleep in a chicken wire coop. of cource where i live it doesnt get below 50 degrees at this time of year. In the winter its about 3 weeks until they live outside

 

[smallchickfarm]

Thanks I will try that but i cant find any larger storage binns any suggestions what else I could use?

 

[smallchickfarm]

Currently I am using pine shaving in the brooder but they always get really damp, is there anything else i could be using?

 

[Alia]

I raised pet chickens as a child, so when I came home from school I'd give them "outy" time until it started getting dark. Supervised of course.

To answer the question I guess it depends on what temperature it is outside. If it's warm I don't see why they can't be out from day 1.

 

[tmayk]

Quote:
No matter what you use it will probably get damp and need frequent changing. paper towels, newspaper, shavings, sand... I use shavings. The chickens seem to like cozying down in to them like a little nest.